i've got a 12 w7 in a ported enclosure currently and its too loud for me. i have a jl 500/1 pushing it and the gain is all the way on zero and my deck's subwoofer output is at zero as well. I figured by building me a sealed enclosure for it, it would quiet the sub down some. am I correct in believing that will work? Also I was thinking there again about making the box maybe 1.0 ft^3 to help tighten up the bass a little. I know the w7 isnt built for SQ but would putting it into a smaller sealed enclosure help with the SQ of the sub? I think the recommended internal volume of a sealed box for a 12 w7 is 1.375 ft^3. do any of you guys have advice on just what size to make it? I plan on making the box out of 1" wood and bracing heavily thanks for your time.
The W7 is very much an SQ woofer that can also get fairly loud and low. You're only pushing 500RMS and with a high damping factor, so it should not be extremely loud and boomy at all. Never go under the recommended volume for a sealed box. It can choke the sub and cause power handling and sound issues. Build a 1.4 cube sealed box to make up for the driver displacement and make sure to seal it very well with wood glue and caulking and double the baffle. Also have a friend set your gains for you, or read up and set them yourself with a DMM to match your HU output and then you will be good to go. For what it's worth, sealed is the only way I would go with a 12W7. They are as tight and clean as a pigtailed schoolgirl in that config.
wow, thanks for all the input, its much appreciated :D another thing i was considering doing was lining the inside walls of the box. either using some spray on adhesive and glue poly fill along the walls or just carpet the inside as well as the outside of the box. what are your guys opinions on that? also, where is a good place to get carpet for a box and is there a special type of carpet to get?
strange. my friend got a 12" W7 the other day on a total 1000.1 amp and it just isn't really impressing me. although i'm kinda iffy about the box he's got it in. plus its sitting facing up in the backseat of an extended cab truck. but my ears get tortured by a 15" L5 all day so that just might be my deafness there. he got it off craigslist sub and box for 200 so who knows. hits lows pretty good tho
thanks for your time.